Travelers have hit the road for the Memorial Day weekend and the Missouri State Highway Patrol has done the same.

Sgt. Jake Angle with Troop H said last year over the holiday weekend in Missouri there were 969 traffic crashes, 8 fatalities and 411 people injured. There were also 105 DWI arrests. He said troopers are out trying to keep those numbers down.

“Operation C.A.R.E. going on, combined accident reduction effort, and that’s where every available trooper will be out on the road for high visibility and strict enforcement just to put all of our manpower out there so we can try to keep traffic crashes down and also to offer our services to the public,” Angle said.

The counting day period for the Memorial Day weekend runs May 27 through May 30. It’s the first counting period of the year.

“We want to make sure we have a good presence out there. Just to remind people that we’re out there and we’re out there for a reason. Not just for strict enforcement but just to make sure if they have a problem out there on the roadway we’re there to assist them,” Angle said.

Also, troopers are participating in a special enforcement operation along I-29

“We’ll have a trooper every 20 miles and also we’ll have troopers taking part in extra enforcement along some of the US Highways, some of the bigger highways not just the interstates,” Angle said.

He reminds travelers to buckle up.

“The most important thing they can do any time they’re getting inside a motor vehicle is to put that seat belt on,” Angle said. “I don’t care if you’re going across town or all the way across the state the first thing you need to do when you get inside a motor vehicle is to put that seat belt on.”

And of course, he said if your weekend plans include drinking make sure you have a designated driver.